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United States Patent |
5,305,291
|
Kamens
,   et al.
|
April 19, 1994
|
Alarm setting and actuating mechanism for analog timepiece
Abstract
An alarm setting mechanism for an analog timepiece of the type having a
minute hand, an hour hand and an alarm device responsive to switch
actuations. A minute setting ring and a coaxial hour setting ring are both
rotatably mounted in the timepiece and include a minute alarm marker and
an hour alarm marker. Both rings have crown gears coupled to a drive
pinion arranged to rotate the two rings at a ratio of 12:1 to set the hour
and minute markers. This is preferably accomplished using a spur tooth
gear on the minute setting ring and a Geneva drive for the hour ring. A
first switch is actuated in response to passage of the hour hand
contacting the hour marker and a second switch is actuated in response to
passage at the minute hand in close proximity to the minute marker. The
alarm setting mechanism has a separate crown which is detented in three
positions. The crown enables the alarm setting means to function either as
a time of day alarm setting using the hour and minute markers with the
conventional timepiece dial indicia, or allows the minute hand to function
as a count down timer.
Inventors:
|
Kamens; Bruce H. (Thomaston, CT);
Wuthrich; Paul (Watertown, CT)
|
Assignee:
|
Timex Corporation (Middlebury, CT)
|
Appl. No.:
|
124528 |
Filed:
|
September 22, 1993 |
Current U.S. Class: |
368/252; 368/253 |
Intern'l Class: |
G04C 021/16 |
Field of Search: |
368/72-75,250,252,253
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
1128751 | Feb., 1915 | Brown | 368/253.
|
3596460 | Apr., 1969 | Wuthrich | 58/19.
|
3775967 | Dec., 1973 | Spadini | 368/252.
|
3832843 | Sep., 1974 | Wuthrich | 368/252.
|
4084104 | Apr., 1978 | Scheer et al. | 368/250.
|
4157646 | Jun., 1979 | Wuthrich | 368/253.
|
4652140 | Mar., 1987 | Nakazawa | 368/74.
|
Primary Examiner: Miska; Vit W.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Crutcher; William C.
Claims
We claim:
1. Alarm setting mechanism for analog timepiece having a minute hand and an
hour hand both rotatable about an axis at a 12:1 ratio and an alarm device
responsive to switch actuations, said alarm setting mechanism comprising:
a minute setting ring rotatably mounted in said timepiece coaxial with said
axis and including a minute alarm marker,
an hour setting ring rotatably mounted in said timepiece coaxial with said
axis and including an hour alarm marker,
drive means adapted to selectively rotate said minute setting ring and said
hour setting ring at a ratio of 12:1 to set said hour and minute alarm
markers,
first switch means responsive to a selected position of said minute hand
with respect to said minute alarm marker,
second switch means responsive to a selected position of said hour hand
with respect to said hour marker, and
circuit means adapted to selectively connect either one or both of said
switch means to said alarm device.
2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said minute setting ring
includes a minute crown gear attached thereto and said hour setting ring
include a crown gear attached thereto, and wherein said drive means
comprises a gear pinion meshing with both of said crown gears, and
including a manual crown connected to said gear pinion.
3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said minute crown gear
attached to said minute setting ring is a spur gear, and wherein said hour
crown gear attached to said hour setting ring is a Geneva gear.
4. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said first switch means
comprises an electrically conductive minute hand and an electrically
conductive minute alarm marker adapted to contact one another.
5. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said second switch means
comprises an electrically conducive hour hand and an electrically
conductive hour alarm marker adapted to contact one another.
6. The combination according to claim 1, and further including third switch
means adapted to be operated by said drive means when said drive means is
not rotating said rings, said third switch means being connected in said
circuit means to enable said alarm device.
7. The combination according to claim 6, and further including fourth
switch means operated by said drive means and connected in said circuit
means so as to enable said alarm device upon closure of said first switch
means.
8. Alarm setting mechanism for analog timepiece having a minute hand and an
hour hand both rotatable about an axis at a 12:1 ratio and an alarm device
responsive to switch actuations, said alarm setting mechanism comprising:
a minute setting ring rotatably mounted in said timepiece coaxial with said
axis and having a spur crown gear connected thereto, said minute setting
ring also having an electrically conductive minute alarm marker connected
thereto,
an hour setting ring rotatably mounted in said timepiece coaxial with said
axis and having a Geneva crown gear connected thereto, said hour setting
ring also having an electrically conductive hour alarm marker connected
thereto,
a drive pinion meshing with both of said crown gears and adapted to
continuously rotate said minute setting gear and to intermittently rotate
said hour setting gear at a ratio of 12:1 to set said hour and minute
alarm markers,
first switch means comprising an electrically conductive minute hand
adapted to contact said minute alarm marker,
second switch means comprising an electrically conductive hour hand adapted
to contact said hour alarm marker, and
a manual crown for said analog timepiece having a rotatable and axially
slidable stem, said stem including a friction drive adapted to engage said
drive gear pinion in a first axial position.
9. The combination according to claim 8, and further including third switch
means and fourth switch means responsive to second and third axial
positions of said stem, said circuit means including said first, second,
third and fourth switch means, said circuit means adapted to enable said
alarm in said second axial stem position when both first and second switch
means are closed and to enable said alarm in said third axial stem
position when said first switch means is closed.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to analog timepieces, such as quartz
analog wristwatches having a settable alarm device. More particularly, the
invention relates to an improved alarm setting mechanism for an analog
timepiece.
Electric alarm timepieces are known, both of the LCD digital type and the
quartz analog type with hands. An LCD digital timepiece, because of
ability to program its operation through software, permits complex alarm
settings and countdown timers. However, a large segment of the population
still prefers analog timepieces with hour and minute hands. Analog
wristwatches are governed by simple stepping motor circuits in quartz
watches, or by balance wheels in mechanical watches. In order to add an
alarm, some means must be provided to set the time of day at which the
alarm is actuated. Various means have been proposed in the prior art for
setting an analog alarm watch.
One category of alarm-setting and actuating mechanism for an analog
timepiece utilizes a conventional movement to close a switch at a selected
alarm time, using switch contacts which are operated by the hour hand
mechanism in conjunction with a rotatable alarm setting ring. One such
arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,460 issued to Paul Wuthrich on
Aug. 3, 1971 and assigned to the present assignee. One switch contact is
disposed on an hour wheel which is continuously rotated by the movement,
and the other switch contact is disposed on an alarm setting disk with a
ring gear, which is manually rotated by a pinion. An indicator marking on
the disk is aligned with a selected dial time marking, at which time the
alarm will be actuated by closure of switch contacts as the hour hand
passes in close proximity with the selected dial time marking. Another
arrangement disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,646 issued to Paul Wuthrich
on Jun. 12, 1979 utilizes a switch, wherein the hour hand itself serves as
one switch contact and directly engages another contact which is on an
hour setting marker on a manually rotated hour setting ring. In the
foregoing alarm setting and actuating mechanisms using switch contacts
operated by the hour hand mechanism, the alarm time is difficult to set
precisely.
Another type of alarm setting and actuating mechanism for an analog
timepiece is found in watches with multiple dials or auxiliary hands, and
sometimes driven by several stepping motors, in which there are physical
switches, but in which the hands are moved during an alarm setting mode to
a desired alarm time. Such timepieces require an integrated circuit memory
to count and store the number of pulses required to move one or more of
the hands to the desired alarm time, and then, through the use of a
software program stored in the integrated circuit memory, to sound the
alarm when the number of timekeeping pulses are equal to this time
difference pulse count. This type of timepiece is described in U.S. Pat.
No. 4,652,140 issued Mar. 24, 1987 to Nakazawa and is also utilized in
many commercially available watches such as Citizen Multi-chronograph
Watch Cal. No. 6850. The need for auxiliary dials and hands, multiple
stepping motors, and integrated circuit memory adds to the cost and
setting complexity of the alarm timepiece.
It would be desirable to utilize the conventional movement of a quartz
analog watch with conventional hour and minute hands to set and actuate
the alarm mechanism. It would also be desirable to have a simplified alarm
setting and actuating mechanism without the need for an integrated circuit
with memory or requiring multiple dials or stepping motors. Lastly, it
would be desirable to provide a minute countdown timer using the minute
hand in a conventional movement.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved
alarm-setting and actuating mechanism utilizing a conventional analog
movement.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved alarm-setting and
actuating mechanism with improved accuracy for activating the alarm using
conventional hour and minute hands.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved alarm
setting mechanism having both time of day alarm and a count down timer
using the minute hand.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly stated, the invention involves an improved alarm setting mechanism
for an analog timepiece of the type having at least a minute hand and an
hour hand and an alarm device responsive to switch actuations. A minute
setting ring and a coaxial hour setting ring are both rotatably mounted in
the timepiece and include a minute alarm marker and an hour alarm marker.
Both rings are geared to a gear driving means arranged to rotate the two
rings at a ratio of 12:1 to set the hour and minute markers. This is
preferably accomplished using a spur tooth gear on the minute setting ring
and a Geneva drive for the hour ring. A first switch is actuated in
response to a selected position of the minute hand with respect to the
minute marker and a second switch is actuated in response to a selected
position of the hour hand with respect to the hour marker. Circuit means
are connected to the alarm device and at least one of the switches. The
circuit means enables the alarm setting means to function either as a time
of day alarm setting using the hour and minute, or allows the minute hand
to function as a count down timer using only the minute marker.
DRAWING
The invention, both as to organization and method of practice, together
with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by
reference to the following description, taken in connection with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a simplified diagrammatic view of a quartz analog wristwatch
illustrating detent positions of the time setting and alarm setting
crowns,
FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of one quarter of a watch dial illustrating
alternate markings on the alarm setting rings,
FIG. 3 is a side elevational drawing in cross section of a timepiece
eliminating conventional elements and showing only elements relevant to
the invention,
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the minute setting ring and hour setting
ring drive mechanism, taken along lines IV--IV of FIG. 3,
FIG. 5 shows the drive mechanism of FIG. 4 in a different position, and
FIG. 6 is a simplified logic circuit illustrating the switch connections
for actuating the audible alarm device in the timepiece.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 of the drawing illustrates a timepiece, here a quartz analog
wristwatch, having a watch case 1, portions of a strap 2 for attachment to
the wrist, and dial 3 with time indicating indicia such as "sticks" 4. The
timepiece has an internal conventional quartz analog movement including a
stepping motor, gear train and pulse generating IC on a printed circuit
(PC) board and is powered by an energy cell. The movement serves to drive
an hour hand 5 and minute hand 6 in a 12:1 ratio about a central axis 7.
Also shown but not relevant to the present invention, are a second hand 8
and a day/date indicating window 9. A conventional manually operated time
setting crown 10 has three detent positions, the second and third
positions indicated in dotted line by reference numerals 10' and 10"
respectively.
In accordance with the present invention, a manually actuated alarm setting
and actuating crown 11 is arranged at a convenient location on the case 1
such as the four o'clock position. Crown 11 similarly has three detent
positions, the second and third of which are shown in dotted lines by
reference numerals 11' and 11".
Further in accordance with the present invention, crown 11 serves to
operate the alarm setting mechanism which is the subject of the present
invention. Coaxially disposed about the central axis 7 are two alarm
setting rings. The outer ring comprises a minute setting ring 12, which
has a minute alarm marker 13 attached thereto. The inner ring comprises an
hour setting ring 14 which includes an hour alarm marker 15 attached
thereto.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing the lower right hand comer of the
watch of FIG. 1, with the hands in a different position , as well as
minute marker 13 and hour marker 15 which have been rotated into the field
of the drawing in FIG. 2. The minute setting ring 12 may optionally be
provided with sixty minute graduations as indicated which will be utilized
when the timepiece is used as a minute countdown timer. The minute
graduations commence at the location of the minute alarm marker 13.
Similarly, the hour setting ring 14 may optionally be provided with a
circumferential register indicating twelve hours with intermediate
markings at 1/5 hour intervals, commencing at the hour alarm marker 15.
The minute setting ring numerals and the hour register numerals proceed
counterclockwise from the respective minute and hour markers.
Referring now to FIG. 3 of the drawing, a cross sectional elevation view is
shown taken through the axis of the alarm setting crown 11 positioned in
its innermost position for setting the alarm time rings when the alarm is
disarmed. Crown 11 (not shown in FIG. 3) is connected to a rotatable and
axially slidable stem 16 passing through an aperture 17 in watch case 1.
Portions of conventional elements of the timepiece are shown such as a
transparent lens 50 held in a peripheral groove in case 1 for viewing the
watch dial 3 and the time indicating indicia 4. An inner frame 18 supports
the gear train (not shown) and a PC board 19. The frame includes a lower
cavity housing an energy cell 20 held in place by a case back 21 supported
in frame 1.
The tips of the watch hour hand 5, minute hand 6 and seconds hand 8 are
seen in FIG. 3. Rotatably mounted in the case 1 are the minute setting
ring 12 and the hour setting ring 14. The hour ring marker 15 and the
minute ring marker 13 are shown rotated into the plane of the FIG. 3 cross
section. Markers 13, 15 are electrically conductive strips with tabs 13a,
15a respectively disposed in the paths of the minute and hour hands
respectively, which are also electrically conductive. When minute hand 6
electrically contacts tab 13a, a switch closure is completed designated
S1. When hour hand 5 makes contact with tab 15a, a switch closure is
completed designated S2.
While the S1 and S2 switch closures are illustrated as direct contact made
between the watch hands and the metal markers attached to the alarm
setting rings, equivalent structures are known in the prior art which are
designed to close a switch when the hand is in a preselected position with
respect to the alarm setting marker. For example, in assignee's
aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,460 which is incorporated herein by
reference, a switch closure is made when the hour wheel (rotatable in
synchronism with the hour hand) makes electrical contact with an alarm
setting disk at the same time as the hour hand passes in close proximity
with the time selected by the indicator marker. The precise means of
making switch closures when the hour and minute hand come to a preselected
position with respect to their respective hour alarm markers and minute
alarm markers attached to the setting rings is not a material part of the
present invention and it is intended to include such known equivalent
switch closure systems.
Other switches to arm and disarm the alarm are operated by the axial
movement of alarm stem 16. The body of stem 16 inside the watch case 1 is
shaped to provide three detent grooves such as 22 which cooperate with a
detent spring 23 to provide three axial positions of stem 16
(corresponding to crown positions 11, 11' and 11"). A stem extension
member 24 cooperates with two spring contact members 25, 26 shown in
simplified form on either side of PC board 19. Contacts on springs 25, 26
and leads on PC board 19 cooperate to provide a switch closure S3 when the
crown 11 is fully withdrawn to its outermost position and a switch closure
S4 when crown 11 is in the intermediate or middle position. Both switches
S3 and S4 are open when crown 11 is in its innermost position as shown in
the solid lines in FIG. 3.
In accordance with the present invention, rotation of alarm setting crown
11 and the alarm stem 16 when the crown 11 is pushed in will cause minute
setting ring 12 and hour setting ring 14 to rotate with a 12:1 ratio. This
mechanism is described as follows. Stem 16 includes a cylindrical friction
clutch element 27 which engages a cavity in a special drive pinion 28 when
stem 16 is in its innermost axial position as shown in FIG. 3. Drive
pinion 28 includes outer spur gear teeth 29 which engage teeth of a minute
ring crown gear 30 attached to minute setting ring 12. Drive pinion 28
further includes a Geneva drive pinion 31 which engages a Geneva drive
crown gear attached to hour setting ring 14.
Reference to the partial views in FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrates the 12:1 gear
drive. Twelve spur teeth 29 on drive pinion 28 mesh with sixty spur teeth
on minute ring crown gear 30 so as to rotate the minute setting ring
continuously when drive pinion 28 is rotated. Geneva drive pinion 31
comprises a pin 33 and cam 34 cooperating respectively with teeth 35 and
cusps 36 to provide an intermittent rotation of the Geneva drive crown
gear ring 32 in a known manner. Crown gear 32 has sixty teeth which are
intermittently advanced, one tooth at a time, upon each complete rotation
of drive pinion 28. FIG. 4 illustrates the Geneva crown gear 32 and drive
pinion 28 in one position when pin 33 is positioned between teeth 35 and
advancing the crown gear. FIG. 5 illustrates the "dwell" between advances
when cam 34 is rotating within the cusps 36 on the end of teeth 35 so as
not to advance the crown gear.
FIG. 6 illustrates a suitable electrical circuit and logic diagram used to
actuate an audible conventional watch alarm, illustrated in diagrammatic
form. The alarm comprises an alarm driver integrated circuit chip 37
connected to provide audible output from a piezoelectric alarm 38 when an
input lead 39 is connected to a positive energy cell terminal. According
to electronic watch conventional practice, the positive terminal is
grounded. Three leads 40, 41, 42 are connected as inputs to a logical AND
circuit 43. Lead 41 is connected as the output of a logical OR 44 having
input leads 45, 46. Switch closures S1, S2, S3 and S4 are connected to
leads 40, 45, 46 and 42 respectively on one side of the switches and
connected in common to the grounded positive battery terminal (according
to quartz timepiece convention) at the terminals on the other side of the
switches. As indicated in the diagram, the audible alarm will sound when
either switch S2 or switch S3 is closed, provided also that switch S1 and
switch S4 are also both closed.
OPERATION
The above described alarm setting mechanism may be used to cause the
timepiece to operate either as a precise setting for a time of day alarm,
or as a minute countdown timer. First describing the setting of the time
of day alarm, the crown 11 in its position shown in FIG. 3 (in which both
switches S3 and S4 are open to disarm the alarm) is manually turned in
either direction to rotate the minute setting ring and the hour setting
ring. These rings rotate with a 12:1 ratio, much as the hands of a
timepiece, with the exception that the minute setting ring rotates
continuously whereas the hour setting ring rotates intermittently, i.e.,
jumps from one 1/5 hour setting to the next. Markers 13, 15 are rotated to
the position on the regular dial indicia at the time of day at which the
alarm should be actuated. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the alarm is set
at 221/2 minutes after five. The alarm is then armed by retracting crown
11 to its intermediate position 11'. Although minute hand 6 will
repeatedly make contact with marker switch 13 once per hour, the alarm
will not be actuated until both switches S1 and S2 are closed, i.e., when
minute hand 6 contacts marker 13 and when hour hand 5 simultaneously
contacts hour marker 15. Therefore, a much more precise alarm setting is
provided than with prior art devices, which used only the hour hand
contact switch.
The improved alarm setting mechanism also enables the minute hand of the
timepiece to function as a count down timer for elapsed times up to one
hour. With the crown 11 in the innermost position, so that switches S3 and
S4 are open and the alarm unarmed, crown 11 is rotated in either direction
to rotate the hour alarm markers and minute alarm markers as before. In
this case, however, only the sixty minute graduations on the minute
setting ring are used, together with the minute hand 6. Referring to the
drawing of FIG. 2, the minute setting ring is rotated until the minute
hand 6 points at the desired number of minutes in a count down (60 minutes
maximum) as read on the outer minute graduation marks. In this case, the
minute hand 6 indicates slightly more than 58 minutes for the count down
period.
Withdrawal of crown 11 to the outermost position 11" closes both switches
S3 and S4 to arm the count down timer. Referring to the logic diagram of
FIG. 6, the logic conditions for AND 43 are fulfilled when switch S1 is
closed by the minute hand 6 contacting the minute alarm marker 13. The
alarm is stopped by pushing in crown 11.
Both the hour and minute graduations may be employed in a similar manner by
pointing the hour hand 5 and minute hand 6 at the graduations indicating
number of hours and minutes remaining in the countdown period until the
alarm is sounded, and then arming the hour/minute countdown alarm by
withdrawing crown 11 to the intermediate position.
While there has been described what has been considered to be the preferred
embodiment of the invention, other modifications will occur to those
skilled in the art, and it is desired to secure in the appended claims all
such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the
invention.
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